Nunc dimittis

The Presentation by Fra Angelico

Nunc dimittis (English: now you may dismiss) are the opening words of Simeon's song of praise on the occasion of the presentation of the infant Jesus in the Temple. After seeing Jesus, Simeon joyfully proclaims that he has seen God's salvation. Simeon had been promised by the Holy Spirit that he would not die without seeing the Saviour. Source of text: Luke 2:29-31; usually followed by the minor doxology Gloria Patri.

In the Church of England, the Book of Common Prayer combined the offices of Vespers and Compline, stipulating that both the Magnificat and the Nunc dimittis be sung at Evening Prayer. For this reason, the Nunc dimittis is often found set to music in a pair with the Magnificat (see Category:Evening Canticles). In the traditional Roman rite, the Nunc dimittis also forms the Tract for Mass of the Presentation in the season after Septuagesima.

Musical settings at CPDL

In English, as part of an Evening Service

John Alcock Sr. John Alcock Jr. Henry Aldrich Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in E minor Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in G John Amner (Dorian) Crys Armbrust in G SATB divisi Samuel Arnold in A SATB organ ad lib. Joseph Barnby in E SATB organ Thomas Barrow in F SATB Adrian Batten (from the Fourth service) Elway Bevin SAATB Peter Bird SATB Hugh Blair in B minor SSAATTBB organ John Blow in G SATB Clifford Boyd SATB Herbert Brewer in F SATB organ Herbert Brewer in D SATB organ Albertus Bryne in G SATB Edward Bunnett in F SATB organ William Byrd from the Second Service Alto verse, SAATB & organ from the Third Service SAATB Great Service SAATB.SAATB from the Short Evening Service SAATTB See also Latin setting below John Baptiste Calkin in B flat SATB organ Thomas Causton SATB William Child Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in D Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in E minor Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in Eb Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in G John Church Thomas Clark John Clarke-Whitfeld Benjamin Cooke Robert Cooke Robert Creighton Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in C Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in E flat John Farmer Richard Farrant James Gibb SATB (English BCP) Orlando Gibbons from the "Short Service" SATB (with antiphony requiring 8 singers) from the Second Service SAATB with verse SSAT & organ see also setting of "Grant now in peace" to TUNE 3 below John Goldwin Maurice Greene James Hawkins Dalwyn Henshall SATB (English) John Hilton the elder in G minor Pelham Humfrey (from Service in E minor, English) Thomas Kelway Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in A Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in A minor Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in B minor Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in G minor John Kilpatrick Charles King Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in A Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in C Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in F

Henry Loosemore in D minor John Lugge Denis Mason Felix Mendelssohn, from Opus 69 SATB (plus semichorus) German underlay as well Henry Molle Magnificat and Nunc dimittis (Dorian) Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in F Thomas Morley Fauxbourdon Short Evening Service ATTB William Mundy SAATB.SAATB James Nares Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in C Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in F Robert Parsons (from The First Service) Nathaniel Patrick Richard Portman Henry Purcell in B flat major, Z 230 SATB (verse SSA) in G minor, Z 231 SATB (Gloria Patri seems to be an addition) Robert Ramsey Tim Risher (in English) Benjamin Rogers Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in A minor Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in D Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in F Henry Thomas Smart in F SATB & organ John Smith SATB (in English) John Stainer in E flat SATB & organ in B flat SATB (div. SATTBB) & organ Nunconly in d minor SATB & organ Charles Villiers Stanford Evening Canticles in A in B flat, Op. 10 in F, Op. 36 Nunc dimittis in G, Op. 81 Nunc dimittis in C, Op. 115 William Stonard in C Thomas Tallis (from Short Service in the Dorian mode) SATB Thomas Tomkins The Fifth Service SATB organ (SAAB verse) The Second Service SATB organ John Travers William Turner Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in A Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in E Christopher Tye Lord, let thy servant (in English) Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in G minor Thomas Attwood Walmisley in d minor SATB organ Thomas Weelkes from Sixth Evening Service SSAATB from Short Service Samuel Sebastian Wesley Nunc dimittis (from Chant Service in G) Nunc dimittis (from Evening Service in E) John Clarke-Whitfeld Michael Wise Charles Wood Evening Service in A flat (U) Evening Service in C Minor Evening Service in D Major Evening Service in E Flat Major, number 1 Evening Service in E Flat Major, number 2 Evening Service in E Major (Men's voices) Evening Service in E Minor Evening Service in F Minor/A Flat Major Evening Service in F Major (Collegium Regale) Evening Service in G Major Evening Service in G (Men's voices) Evening Service, Tone VI/V Nunc dimittis in B flat Richard Woodward

• Charles H. Giffen, ATBarB and SATB a cappella editions
• Harrison Hackett SATB

Other settings

Alexander Arkhangelsky SATB in Serbian: Ninje otpuščaješi Simeon's Song (Claude Buchanan) SATB (does not include Gloria Patri) William Byrd from Gradualia I a 5 William Daman "O Lord because my heart's desire" SATB metrical paraphrase Melchior Franck SSATTBB Lumen ad revelationem (Hernando Franco) SATTB Giovanni Gabrieli a 14 in 3 cori Giovanni Giorgi Lumen ad revelationem SATB Salmo Nunc dimittis per Compieta a 8 SATB.SATB Alexander Gretchaninoff SATB with divisi, adapted to English Andreas Hammerschmidt: Herr nun lässt du deinen Diener in Frieden fahren a 6 Hans Leo Hassler SATTB Dobri Hristov (in Slavonic) Josquin Desprez SATB (without Gloria Patri) Alexander Kastalsky (in Slavonic) Gavriil Lomakin SATB (in Slavonic) Cristóbal de Morales (re-arranged Magnificats) Tertii Toni "Quia Viderunt" SATB Quarti Toni "Quia Viderunt" SATB

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina Nunc dimittis a 4 (with antiphon Salva nos) Nunc dimittis a 5 (tone 3) abased on above Nunc dimittis a 4/5 (tone 8) as verses of antiphon Lumen ad revelationem (attrib.) Nunc dimittis a 8 Nunc dimittis a 12 Michael Praetorius SATB.SATB (Latin w/o Gloria Patri) Thomas Ravenscroft (OV Metrical Psalter) Heinrich Schütz SWV 432 SSATTB (in German, omits Gloria) SWV 433 SSATTB (in German, omits Gloria) Annibale Stabile a 8 Thomas Tallis a 5 SATB + reconstructed Bar (Latin) František Tůma SATB, 2 vlns & bc Christopher Upton (Latin) Francisco Valls ST.SATB.SATB bc (Latin) Ivo de Vento First setting (tone 8) Second setting (tone 4) Tomás Luis de Victoria Nunc dimittis a 4 (tertii toni) Nunc dimittis a 5 (septimi toni)

Other settings possibly not included in the manual list above

• Nathaniel Adam — Evening Service (Tone II)
• Nathaniel Adam — Evening Service (Tone III)
• Robert Adams — Nunc dimittis
• John Amner — Second (Caesar's) Service
• Felice Anerio — Nunc dimittis
• Alexander Arkhangelsky — Evening Service in G
• Alexander Arkhangelsky — Nunc dimittis
• Richard Ayleward — Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis (Short Service)
• Edward Bairstow — Evening service in G
• Giovanni Battista Bassani — Nunc dimittis
• Adrian Batten — Fourth Service
• Herbert Brewer — Evening canticles in D
• Herbert Brewer — Evening canticles in E flat
• William Byrd — Short Service
• Eustache du Caurroy — O Createur, tu remets
• Sebastiano Cherici — Nunc dimittis
• William Child — Service in G
• William Child — Sharp Service
• George Dyson — Nunc Dimittis in D Major
• Józef Elsner — Canticum Simeonis
• William Jackson of Exeter — Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in C
• William Jackson of Exeter — Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in E flat
• Mariano Garau — Nunc dimittis
• Harvey Bartlett Gaul — Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant
• Orlando Gibbons — Second Service
• Nathaniel Giles — Nunc dimittis
• Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki — Nunc dimittis
• James Gordon — The Song of Simeon
• Claude Goudimel — Or laisse Créateur
• Charles Gounod — Nunc dimittis in B Flat
• Basil Harwood — Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in E flat
• Edmund Hooper — The 'Flat' Service - Nunc dimittis
• Edward John Hopkins — Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in D
• Herbert Howells — Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in G
• John Ireland — Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in F major
• Samuel Jacobi — Nunc dimittis
• Ross Jallo — Crediton Service
• Ross Jallo — Short Evening Service
• Philip James — Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in D
• Meirion Wynn Jones — The Second Service
• Viktor Kalinnikov — Ныне отпущаеши / Nunc dimittis
• Thomas Knyght — Evening Service for Men
• MB Krueger — Evening Service
• Pietro Lappi — Nunc dimittis à 16
• Tanmoy Laskar — Nunc dimittis
• Caroline Lesemann-Elliott — Short Service
• Richard Lloyd — Nunc dimittis (Hereford)
• Jean Louys — Or laisse, Créateur
• Arthur Henry Mann — Evening Service in E
• John Henry Maunder — Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in D
• Francis Melville — Kensington Service
• Francis Melville — Melville in A "The Service of Terrible Thirsts"
• Francis Melville — Nunc Brevis
• Jonathan Merrett — Magnificat and Nunc dimittis
• Ernest John Moeran — Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in D
• Henry Molle — First Service
• John Mundy — Service for Men in 3 parts
• William Mundy — Service in medio chori
• Herbert Murrill — Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis
• Vincent Francis Novello — Evening canticles in E
• Robert Page — Evening Service in B flat
• Robert Page — Evening Service in G
• Jacobus Clemens non Papa — Nunc dimittis
• Valentin Rathgeber — Nunc dimittis, Op. IX, No. 40
• Jakob Reiner — Nunc dimittis
• James Hotchkiss Rogers — Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in D
• Caleb Simper — Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in D
• Heathcote Statham — Nunc dimittis in E minor
• Charles Steggall — Evening service in G
• Charles Steggall — Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in B flat
• Alastair Stout — Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis, The Verse Service
• Thomas Tallis — Evening Service in Latin
• Thomas Tallis — Short (Dorian) Service
• Thomas Tomkins — Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis from the Third Service
• Thomas Tomkins — Morning and Evening Canticles from the Fourth Service
• John Ebenezer West — Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in E flat
• Ralph Vaughan Williams — Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in C
• John S. Wilson — Nunc Dimittis on the fifth tone
• Charles Wood — Magnificat and Nunc dimittis founded on an old Scotch chant
• Peter Yost — Nunc dimittis

Common texts

Latin text Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine, secundum verbum tuum in pace: Quia viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum Quod parasti ante faciem omnium populorum: Lumen ad revelationem gentium, et gloriam plebis tuae Israel. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto: Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in sæcula sæculorum. Amen.

English text The Book of Common Prayer, 1662 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace: according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen: thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared: before the face of all people; To be a light to lighten the Gentiles: and to be the glory of thy people Israel. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.

German text Herr, nun lässest du deinen Diener in Frieden fahren, wie du gesagt hast. Denn meine Augen haben deinen Heiland gesehen, welchen du bereitet hast vor allen Völkern, ein Licht zu erleuchten die Heiden, und zum Preis deines Volk Israel. Ehre sei dem Vater und dem Sohn und dem Heiligen Geist, wie im Anfang, so auch jetzt und alle Zeit, und in Ewigkeit. Amen.

New Testament text & translations

Greek text Νυν απολύεις τον δούλον σου, Δέσποτα, κατά το ρήμα σου εν ειρήνη, ότι είδον οι οφθαλμοί μου το σωτήριόν σου, ο ητοίμασας κατά πρόσωπον πάντων των λαών, φως εις αποκάλυψιν εθνών και δόξαν λαού σου Ισραήλ.

Serbian translation Ниње отпушчајеши Сад отпушташ у миру, слугу својега, Господе, по речи својој; Јер видеше очи моје Спасење твоје; Које си уготовио пред лицем свију народа. Светлост, да просвећује незнабошце, и славу народа твојега Израиља.

Chinese translation Modern Chinese: 主啊！現在可照禰的話，放禰的僕人平安去了！ 因為我親眼看見了禰的救援， 即禰在萬民之前早準備好的： 為作啟示異邦的光明，禰百姓以色列的榮耀。 光榮歸於父、及子、及聖神， 起初如何，今日亦然，直到永遠。亞孟。

Chinese translation Classical Chinese: 求我主宰，覆爾所示， 放爾僕人，安然謝世！ 既見救恩，我心則慰， 念斯救恩，實爾所備； 普天生靈，咸仰其惠； 萬國之光，義塞之輝！

Dutch translation Heer laat Uw dienaar nu, naar Uw woord, in vrede gaan. Want mijn ogen hebben het heil aanschouwd dat Gij hebt bereid voor het aanschijn van de volkeren: een licht ter openbaring aan de heidenen, de glorie van Uw volk Israel.

Danish translation Herre, nu lader du din tjener gå bort med fred efter dit ord. For mine øjne har set din frelse, som du har beredt for alle folk: Et lys til åbenbaring for hedninger og en herlighed for dit folk Israel.

Italian translation Ora lascia, o Signore, che il tuo servo vada in pace secondo la tua parola, perché i miei occhi hanno visto la tua salvezza, preparata da te davanti a tutti i popoli, luce per illuminare le genti e gloria del tuo popolo, Israele.

Metrical versions

English translation Old Version Metrical Psalter 86. 86 (C.M.) O Lord my God because my heart hath longed earnestly My Lord and Saviour to behold and see before I die; The joy and health of all mankind desired long before; Who now is come into the world lost man for to restore. Then suffer, Lord, thy servant now in peace for to depart, According to thy holy word, which doth rejoice my heart; Because my eyes which thou hast made to give my body light, have now beheld thy saving health, which is the Lord of might. Whom thou hast mercifully set, of thy abundant grace, in open sight, and visible, before all people's face The Gentiles to illuminate, who do in darkness dwell, also to be the glory of thy people Israel.

English text New Version Metrical Psalter (CM) Lord, let thy servant now depart into thy promis'd rest, Since my expecting eyes have been with thy salvation blest; Which till this time thy favour'd saints and prophets only knew; Long since prepar'd, but now set forth in all the people's view. A light to shew the heathen world the way to saving grace; But, O! the light and glory both of Israel's chosen race. To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the God whom we adore, Be glory ; as it was, is now, and shall be evermore.

External links

• Wikipedia article